"Hello! My name is Tiffany Hwang! My real name is Stephanie but please call me Tiffany!" She bowed and showed her eye-smile to everyone.

"Ok Ms. Hwang you can sit beside Ms. Kim in the back there." My professor motioned his hand towards me and everyone's eyes widened.

"Uhmm... Sir! Please don't. She's new to this course and I don't want her to be scared already." Some guy in my class stood up.

Oh he wants to fight alright.

"Mr. Oh. Sit down. Besides Ms. Kim does not scare people in class. She's quiet and actually pays attention unlike you. So don't say anything and just listen to the lectures and stop judging other people you hypocrite." Oh shit get roasted.

I chuckled and he glares at me. I raise my eyebrow at him and he immediately sits down.

"Ms. Kim?" Sir calls my name and I look at him.

"Yes sir?" I ask as I stand up.

Respect.

"Do you mind if Ms. Hwang sits beside you?" He takes out papers from his bag and puts his glasses on.

"No sir. I'm ok with it." I bow and sit back down on my chair.

"Ok Ms. Hwang please sit in that empty chair beside Ms. Kim." He directed her and she bows whilst making her way towards me.

She smiles at me and I don't smile back, I just merely nod. She frowns but shrugs it off.

"Well I meet the famous Kim Taeyeon." She chuckled extending her hand towards me.

I take in and shake hands with her without uttering a word.

"Tiffany Hwang." She says.

"Kim Taeyeon." I reply.

At the sound of my voice her eyes widen.

"Uh... do you perhaps know me by any chance?" She asks as she points to herself.

By that statement, the class bursts out into murmurs.

"Did Taeyeon really meet Tiffany before?"

"How lucky can Taeyeon be?"

"Tch. She probably just knows her but gave her the famous cold shoulder she gives to everyone."

"No." I state coldly and took out my books.

"O-oh u-uh.. u-mm. Ok." She stutters.

Well I scared her already.

The class went on and we did techniques that we learnt yesterday. I had to help Tiffany but I used my cold voice, as always. She merely replied with either, "Yes." Or "Ok."

---

Class ended and I made my way out. I always leave my car at the school parking lot. Being independent doesn't mean that people need to know.

I make my way to the store secretly taking a path no one ever takes. Then I put my mask on.

If you're wondering why Bomi knows who I am, I simply trust her. Even though she yells my name she yells it through the kitchen window with not such a strong voice.

She doesn't go to my school so she doesn't know. When someone in the store is someone I recognize I simply tell her, don't say my name out loud.

She is scared of me because she I actually stood her up. I yelled at her and she's now careful. I basically keep my cold aura even when I work.

I'm now inside the store and I spot Bomi there taking orders.

"Yah. Hurry up." She yells at me and I nod. I got to the kitchen and put my apron on. After I simply get to making the tea.

When I'm making the tea I notice 6 orders that are familiar.

No.

It can't be.

I make them and I hear the same loud voices that I used to join in long ago.

I peek through the kitchen window to see them sitting in a circled table talking.

Why are they hear?!

I make them and simply go up to Bomi.

"Oh Taeyeon." She says, I widen my eyes and she immediately gets it.

"Oh Kim." She corrects and I nod.

"Alright I get it. But Umm... they said they want you to serve the tea to them." She points to the circled table and my eyes widen.

"Tell them I'm busy and I have to make more tea. Hell no am I doing that." I simply say and walk into the kitchen.

The talking stops and I see Bomi serving them. They all have long faces. I can't help to feel guilty.

But if I'm always in this depressed state it will just affect them like what I did years ago.

"Taeyeon." I heard a voice and I turn around.

I see Sooyoung standing there.

"Um.. Miss. You're not allowed here. The bathroom is back there." I show her directions and immediately go back to making tea.

"Taeyeon. You know I know you work here. So you can't hide. They want to see you." She says and I sigh.

"Sorry Soo. Not today. Maybe another time." I walk further away from her to make the tapioca.

"Ok we will go now. We love you Taengoo." She says like it's nothing but she know.

Once she leaves I slide down the wall. My tears stream down my face.

Why choose that nickname? You know how much that name affects me?! Why choose it?

Why can't they understand that I'm just a burden to them all?! I was a burden to them!

Bomi walks in and I immediately stand up. She has pity written all over her face. I wipe my tears away and start mixing the tapioca. She pats my back and heads back to the cashier.

When making the tea, I see another order. This time it's Sooyoung's and Tiffany's. Why?

I make both of them and give it to Bomi. In the midst of that, I hear Sooyoung and Tiffany.

"My moneeyyy~ my bubble teaaaa!!!" That's Sooyoung alright. She's whining, wonder why?

"I'm sorry ok! I bought you another one." That was Tiffany's.

I chuckle and shake my head. As I finish making the tea Bomi walks in.

"She wants you to serve it to the outside tables." Bomi sighs and I do too.

"No I can't. I'm not ready." I replied not looking towards Bomi.

"C'mon Taeyeon. I might not understand your situation but one thing I know, I'm not afraid of you anymore." Shocked, I turn my head to her in an instant.

"I know what you're doing. So get your ass outside and just hand them the damn tea." Now Bomi is scary.

I nod and grab the tea. With a heavy heart I step out of the kitchen and people stare at me with eyebrows raised.

I walk outside and I see them talking, but with Tiffany. Sooyoung is still sulking. I look around to see a spilled beverage smeared on the ground, well must be Sooyoung's.

As I approach them, they all turn towards me. It's silent.

"Your tea." I place it in front of them and immediately bow.

I try to walk away but it don't seem to move.

I turn around to see Sooyoung holding my arm.

"Soo let go please. I need to work!" I retaliate but she keeps still.

"Do you guys know her?" Tiffany asked as she stabs the cover with her straw.

I turn to them with wide eyes telling them not to tell.

"Yes." Sooyoung replied almost instantly.

I pushed her hand away and bowed at a distance. They all have sad faces and I just sighed.

I walked away until one of them says.

"We miss you."

With that I wipe a tear and enter the shop.

Why do they insist for me to come back when I will just be a burden?! Why will they do that when they know I will just bring sadness to them?! Why can't they understand that I don't want them to deal with my problems? Why can't they understand that they deserve a better friend than me?

Wiping my tears away I go back to work.

Why come back after years?

As I'm working I hear a voice talking with Bomi. I eavesdrop on their conversation:

"Can I please see that person who makes the tea?" She insists.

"I'm sorry." Bomi replies with a heavy voice.

"Just for 2 minutes." Tiffany keeps on insisting.

"I don't think she will like it." Bomi you're right.

"Please." She said once more and Bomi gave in.

"2 minutes."

Shit.

I panic but I'm too late, she's standing there with her eyes glued to mine.

"Why did you run away from them miss? They seem really sad." Tiffany clearly doesn't know who I am. Thank god.

"You can't ask questions when you don't know the situation." I reply as I open a pack of tapioca.

"That's true. But why can't you talk to them at least? Talking to them will at least boost their moods." She smiled but I didn't take it.

"No. It might but it will drop the moment they see me walking away." I say, pouring the tapioca into a pot.

"At least try. Even though I met them today, I don't like seeing people sad." She sighs and I laugh

"You're blind then. People covering their true self because they don't want to relive the past. They don't want the same thing. They ignore people. They hate to burden people, they hate the emotions that affected the people they love. They hate it. They despise it. You know someone who covers them self but you're blind to see it." I laughed and she just drops her jaw.

"Maybe I am. Maybe now I know why that girl in my class is so cold. Maybe you should try to not live in the past but live in the present." She breathes out and walks away.